The Black Jacket ch 1
by Nashog
Summary: This is my first story for His Dark Materials so any advice would be welcome. Also this is set before the first book by a couple of years and I don't intend for this to tie in with the books. Oh and if you can suggest a better name please do. Anyway hope you enjoy. One last thing a bug caused some of the first chapter to be deleted and part of the summary to be there instead.
1. Chapter 1

**This is my first story for His Dark Materials so any advice would be welcome. Also this is set before the first book by a couple of years and I don't intend for this to tie in with the main plot of the books. Oh and if you can suggest a better chapter please do. Anyway hope you enjoy.**

A man moved through the streets with a kestrel sitting on his shoulder. The kestrel was carrying a book in his talons. Turning quickly down a ally he then made three more turns down alleys until he stopped next to a tavern. Another person a woman came up, her short eared owl daemon grabbing the book as they passed. The kestrel gave a quick hit with its wing causing the man to move off quickly through the crowd. Heading towards the docks, his black coat and dark blue pants giving away nothing as they moved. His name was Johnson Draganon. His daemons name is Tarnfalk and had settled into the form of a kestrel. It was unusual for a male to be with a male daemon but anyone who commented quickly learned not to. He moved towards the docks which where only about a half mile away. He brushed through the wave of humanity pushing through the crowd. The kestrel stretched and fluttered its wings.

"You need to be more careful next time. I wouldn't be surprised if our tail saw the hand off." The kestrel had whispered this in his ear even though it was unlikely that anyone would hear them over the din.

"Yes but I have plans fir the tail and besides who would ever mess with you Tarnfalk."

"All the same we need to be careful even if what we are doing isn't exactly illegal."

The daemon before it got a chance to say more had to take flight as a man carrying a piece of rope tripped. The rope hit the ground snaking out, but the man in the black coat leaped out of the way and resumed walking. The kestrel came back settling on his shoulder sinking his talons into the jacket.

After a bit more walking and no more incidents they made it to the docks and the man in the black coat climbed aboard a ship call The Wave Crest. He quickly went below decks dodging past a daemon in the form of a fox. Opening a door he sat down waiting for the man he was supposed to meet to arrive. He quietly upholstered a pistol aiming it at the door under the table. The door opened with a seagull entering first being followed by a man. The man wore a white shirt that had numerous oil stains on it and his pants where red. He sat down his slightly over sized nose bobbing up and down while his gaunt face didn't express any emotion.

"So I believe you have something I want" the man said while glancing nervously at the kestrel which was leaning forward its wings up.

"Yes I have it in my pocket but before I give it to you I need the money." He set down a small note that had the layout of the ship they where on.

"Yes of course I have it here" with this he pulled out a bag that made a sound of metal as he put it down.

"Good then I believe our business is concluded." The man stood up while the kestrel grabbed the bag before putting it in his outstretched hand. They walked out leaving the seagull daemon with the man.

He walked down the docks stopping briefly to buy a hot loaf of bread from a baker. Eating as he walked with his daemon enjoying a glide above him on the wind that blew in from the sea. He made his way towards a small warehouse at the end of the wharf and briefly dodging through some spilled fish, opened the warehouse door entering.

"Did you get it" a female voice said as a stoat watched them.

"Of course I got the money and the plans for the ship are now in the hands of the British government."

"You did a good job Falcon, soon the ship shall be sunk and we have all the more money for it. How did you get on that ship anyway." The woman emerged from th shadows then reveling a woman who was clearly not to be trifled with.

"Oh the contact needed to see the ship and get a good look at it anyway so I figured making the meeting on the ship itself would be for the best. Other than that paying off a few guards and sailors was no big deal." The kestrel flew down from his usual perch landing in front of the stoat. The stoat didn't even move except to grab a small bag and hand it off to him. Nodding in thanks the kestrel flew back to the man who was now exiting the building. His form casting a long shadow into the warehouse.


	2. Chapter 2

**Sorry this is a short chapter but all my stories are going to updated slowly since I am doing a collaboration and we are using the pen name of Kestter. The collab is a ton of fun and I am reading the Redwall books over again so I wont have to much time to write. **

Tarnfalk watched the ground in front of them. They had gotten a new assignment to tail this man who was supposed to be invoked in a arm smuggling deal. As they followed the kestrel would go into the air quickly get a good look then fly back down. Though it was painful to do this and wore them out quicker they ignored it. The mission was important and if they could stop this smuggling once and for all it would solve there problems. They where hired by various governments to get rid of problems. No one ever tried to take him to jail but if they did they would find themselves out of the job. They usually didn't break the law but when they did it usually didn't matter to them. He supposed being a pickpocket wasn't to bad but they had better do it right. John made his move and Tarnfalk moved quickly swooping in front of the man distracting him and his crow daemon. Before they could notice there wallet was missing John bumped into the back of them distracting them further. As John muttered his apologises Tarnfalk settled on his shoulder. They moved off quickly the wallet safely tucked away.

"So that worked well do you have it." Tarnfalk already knew they had it because he could tell that his friend and companion was excited.

"Yes I got it in that pocket in my jacket so it should be safe for now. We need to find somewhere safe to go through it." He was indeed excited but he had to hide it so no one would be suspicious.

As they walked Tarnfalk scanned the crowd as was usual for him making sure they weren't being followed. As John walked Tarnfalk dug his talons into his shoulder trying to get a better grip. This was one of the main reasons he wore the jacket, so Tarnfalk didn't slice his shoulder to ribbons even though he tried not to. The other reason was as a form of showing rank even though normally no one cared. Technically they where part of a group but the only time they ever had contact with each other was in the various meetings where they exchanged information and made agreements on what jobs to take.

Tarnfalk let all this slide to the back of his mind as they approached a small dark tavern located in a back alley. John quickly adopted a bedraggled appearance making sure to ruffle up Tarnfalks feathers so he looked as unkempt as his partner. John ducked down slightly going into a slower shuffling walk not to fast but fast enough where they approached the tavern quickly. The sign above the door was almost impossible to read other then Salt Ferret. He went inside taking a corner table facing the door. Tarnfalk landed on the table watching as a man entered. Meanwhile the wallet was being laid out on the table no one caring that it was other than to eye the money in it. It wasn't that much money but it was enough to take it for themselves. What was really interesting was a piece of paper with what appeared to be random scribbles that went in a circle. We studied it closely and we both smiled. This was what we had been looking for. If we could get this to the right people which would be easy enough we could reveal what it was. John got up went to the counter and bought a very iffy looking glass of ale and quickly drank it down before leaving and nearly skipped down the street as we hurried out of the alley. Then two men stepped up and pressed a gun to John's back causing him to stiffen.

"Don't struggle, you won't be harmed so long as you come quickly. There is a boat across from us with a man wearing a grey coat. Get in that boat and don't bother to fight, we just want to talk and see what you grabbed from that man."


	3. Update

**Hey guys sorry to say this but I am going to be pretty slow updating. I am working on a cooperative story for Redwall under the shared account of Kestter. Check it out since that is going to be updated regularly and I am having a ton of fun writing that. Also the story we are writing is rated M for a reason. Namely violence which is nice because I am able to have a ton of fun writing the battle scenes and I don't have to limit myself as much.**


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